healthy and back on the field but was always the comforting hand on our shoulder to let us know that we were capable of handling the rigors of achieving success at Hopkins,” he added. The more visible side of Bagnall’s role as Athletic Trainer is when he runs onto the field to tend to an injury. In those moments, the Hopkins community gets to see him at his best: calm and measured even during moments of heightened uncertainty. An eternal optimist with an empathetic but direct approach, Bagnall seems unflappable in moments of crisis. “No matter what the injury is, it can be devastating to the kid and their parents. In those moments, you have to be clear and direct about what’s going on and what they can expect from their recovery,” explains Bagnall. The next step after dealing with the initial incident is the process of rehabilitation where athletes continue to see Bagnall in his office as they heal. “Don made you feel seen and cared about, and as a teenager, that meant so much more than a good grade or strong test score,” says Gigi Clark ’08, who played field hockey at Hopkins. Clark recalls a story that encapsulates Bagnall’s attentiveness. “Visiting Don’s office was a must after school, before practice. He always had either a funny zinger or a snack stashed away. Don diagnosed my freakishly cold hands as Raynaud’s Syndrome on the spot and always checked on my frigid digits in cold weather afterwards. I didn’t even know I had a syndrome, but he was paying attention to what I was complaining about and looking for a gentle solution. He always did caring things like this—going above and beyond what was asked of the athletic trainer simply because he cared.”
ABOVE LEFT: Bagnall at work on the football field. ABOVE: Bagnall always has medical tape at the ready in the athletic training room in the Walter Camp Athletic Center.
His ability to be the rock amidst chaos especially came in handy during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he played an instrumental role on the School’s COVID-19 task force. 109th Head of School Kai Bynum spent a good portion of his tenure at Hopkins working with Bagnall closely during the most heightened moments of the pandemic. “Don is a trusted colleague, advisor, and friend. He was always our leader for health and medical issues facing Hopkins, and this became even more important as we were navigating the COVID crisis,” said Bynum. “For me, however, his guidance extended beyond the medical world. He truly cares about people and he understands the School. We talked about life and what we value, and he helped me believe in the idea of hope that brought so many of us together,” Bynum added. Since arriving here in the early 1980s, Bagnall’s warm disposition has created an open door for students who look to Don as a mentor and friend. According to the people who experienced his care firsthand, this is his true legacy at Hopkins. Although it’s never been part of his job description, Bagnall says being there for his students at all times is paramount. “There aren’t a lot of things more important in life than caring for kids when they need it most,” says Bagnall. "You are dealing with people at a stage in their lives when they face a lot of challenges, so taking the time to give them space, an ear, or a pat on the back is crucial.”
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2023 • ISSUE 1 | VIEWS FROM THE HILL
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